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THE LAST VOYAGE 
OF ODYSSEUS 

A PLAY IN TWO ACTS 
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 

BY 
PERRY BOYER CORNEAU 




OLD TOWER PLAYS 
CHICAGO 



^ 



OLD TOWER PLAYS 

431 S. DEARBORN ST. 

CHICAGO 



©DI.D 60244 



COPYRIGHT 1922 
BY PERRY BOYER CORNEA IT 



MAR ( 4 1922 



PEOPLE OF THE PLAY 

Odyssetts 

Penelope 

Telemachus 

Dolius 

Eurycleia 

Little Elpenor 

Several Boys 

Several Girls 

A Number of Ithacans 




^N 



THE LAST VOYAGE 
OF ODYSSEUS 




SCENE: An open square before the Palace of 
Odysseus in Ithaca. The entrance 
to the Palace is on the right; at the 
back and on the left are entrances 
leading to the town and the harbor. 
Before the Palace stands a curved 
marble bench. 

On this bench Odysseus, now a very old 
man, is seated, with a throng of 
boys and girls about him. They are 
listening in open-mouthed wonder to 
a story he is telling them. 

A BOY 

Oh, King Odysseus, do not stop your story. 

ODYSSEUS 
There all the rocks were strewn with wrecks be- 
low; 
Of many and proud ships that sailed that sea. 
For there the luring music led them on, 
Until their timbers grated on the rocks, 
And sailed the sea no more. But we passed safely. 
My men untied me. Then joyfully they plied 
The flashing oars. Soon we were far away. 
And that is all the story of the Sirens. 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

A BOY 

Now tell us of the Cyclops — and his cave — 

ANOTHER BOY 
Yes, yes, and how he caught and ate your men. 

A THIRD BOY 
Yes, tell us how he bit them right in two, 
And how the cave was full of human bones, 

And how 

A GIRL 

Oh, no oh, no don't tell us that 

ANOTHER GIRL 

No tell us of the calm Phaecian land 

About that place where, sheltered from the wind, 
You watched the river flowing to the sea, 
And saw Nausicaa and her maidens there. 

A BOY 
And is it true that the Phaecian ships 
Have neither sails nor rudders ? 

ODYSSEUS 

No, nor oars, 
You only name the place where you would go ; 
And swiftly then across the curling sea 
They take you quicker than the whistling wind. 

A BOY 

Oh, if we only had a ship like that ! 

ANOTHER BOY 
Wise King Odysseus, let us take a ship 
And sail into the waters of the west, 
And wander through the world until we see 
The gray waves curling on the Scherian beack. 
Then we will seek the high palace of their king 
And beg of him one of those sailless ships. 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 
He'll not refuse it to great King Odysseus- 



And then we'll go in search of all those lands, 
The wonderful lands that you have told us of. 

ANOTHER BOY 
Yes ! Yes ! And find the oxen of the sun ! 

A GIRL 
And hunt the Lotos-Eaters' sleepy land. 

ANOTHER BOY 
And fight the cruel Laestrigonian giants. 

ANOTHER GIRL 
And seek the isle of Circe. 

A BOY 

She'll not turn 
Us into swine. I'll draw my flashing sword 
And threaten her. And then she'll bend 
Her trembling knees 

ODYSSEUS 

I've not forgot. Her eyes 
Were ruinous fires. Her lips were glowing flame. 
Her hand, as white as sea-foam, held the cup 
Of the dark, magical poison. With my sword 
I dashed it to the earth — Then no enchantment 

Could daunt the King Odysseus that I was. 

But now I am old, old ; and my trembling arm 

No longer lifts the sword or bends the bow. 

Now when you pray to the immortal gods, 
Pouring libations before the smoky hearth, 
Forgetting not the rites due to the gods, 
Oh, children, pray that the gods grant to you 
The boon of living so, that when you come 
Into old age the things that you have done 
Will still be pleasurable to call to mind 



THF LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

For there is little pleasure in old age 
Save in recalling what the years have held ; 
And when the time shall come when you descend 
The shadowy hillsides of the land of Death, 
To the silent meadows of dim asphodel, 
There all the life that there is yours to live 
Is but remembering the things you did 
In the bright world beneath the living sun. 

(There is a moment's silence. The CHILDREN stir 
uneasily) 

A BOY 

Will we be old like you? 

ODYSSEUS 

The gods alone 
Know not the touch of age. 

A BOY 

And will — we — die? 

ODYSSEUS 
The gods alone escape the touch of death. 

A BOY 
No, for I am going to live as long 
As the earth does. There'll be no sun to shine 
If I'm not here to see it, King Odysseus. 

(DOLIUS, a man even much older than Odysseus, 
and of smaller stature, enters. The CHILDREN 
greet him with cries of "Dolius!" and "Grand- 
father!") 

DOLIUS 
Oh, King Odysseus, I have found the ship 
You bid me find. It is drawn up on the shore 
Near to the Fishermen's Harbor. Two fat oxen 
Will buy it from the owner. I have seen him. 

((Exclamations and questions from the CHILDREN 
"A ship?!") 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

ODYSSEUS 
Dolius, silence ! I have not yet told them. 

(A torrent of questions from the CHILDREN, "Tell 
us! Tell us! What is it?") 
DOLIUS 
Why, why not tell them now, King Odysseus. 
(Cries of "Tell us! Tell us!" etc.) 

ODYSSEUS 
Then listen, children. For many and long years 
I wandered ceaselessly about the earth. 
But that was long ago ; and now a yearning 
Has come upon me to set sail once more. 

CHILDREN 
Oh, take me with you ! Let us sail with you. 

ODYSSEUS 
And you have often wished to see the things 
That I have seen — Well, we have found the ship. 
Before the crimson sun has set today 
I'll sail once more out, out upon the sea. 
Dolius, hasten to prepare the ship. 
Pay to the owner everything he asks. 
And bid him draw the ship down to the sea. 

DOLIUS 
Suppose they ask the purpose of this ship ? 

ODYSSEUS 
We sail to Elis to bring back fat cattle. 

DOLIUS 
Odysseus, you are still the wiliest of kings. 
(DOLIUS goes out.) 

BOY 
(Rapturously.) 
To sail out, out into the boundless world ! 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

GIRL 
To meet the Phaecian maidens on the shore 
And sit in King Alcinous sounding hall ! 

ODYSSEUS 

Now, children, do not tell a word of this. 

My son Telemachus and my good wife, 

The wise Penelope, are very watchful. 

They think that I am not the man I was 

And will not let me go about alone. 

(PENELOPE appears in the door of the Palace 
and watches ODYSSEUS and the CHILDREN 
with suspicion. The CHILDREN are gath- 
ered close about ODYSSEUS. Although she can- 
not hear what they are saying it is perfectly evi- 
dent to her that they are up to mischief of some 
kind.) 

ODYSSEUS 

They would not let me set sail in this ship. 

Therefore they must not know. 

CHILDREN 

Oh, we won't tell them. 

ODYSSEUS 
Children, it is to me a marvelous thing 
They never will believe the things I tell 
About my wanderings about the world. 

CHILDREN 
They don't ! — But we believe you, King Odysseus. 
(PENELOPE watches them, half in astonishment, 
half in anger. She beckons; and EURYCLEIA, a 
much younger woman, enters. She starts toward 
the group; but PENELOPE holds her back.) 
(Suddenly one of the smaller boys, little ELPENOR, 
looks up and sees his mother, EURYCLEIA.) 

ELPENOR 
Oh, there is Mother! 

10 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

EURYCLEIA 

Yes, she's here! She's here! 
(EURYCLEIA tries to seize ELPENOR. The CHIL- 
DREN move away, leaving her face to face with 
ODYSSEUS.) 

EURYCLEIA 
I meant no disrespect, O King Odysseus. 
(She draws back.) 

PENELOPE 
Odysseus, you sit here spinning idle tales — 
These children have their cattle and flocks to 

watch — 
There are nets to mend; and wood must be 
brought home. 
(Little ELPENOR has been absorbed in listening to 
PENELOPE and has not noticed that his Mother 
has been cautiously approaching him. All of a 
sudden she seizes him. She begins shaking him. 
He howls dolefully.) 

EURYCLEIA 
Did I not bid you this day stay at home? 
You must be following the older boys. 

ELPENOR 
I — I — I — I don't want to stay at home. 
Brother and Sister both came here to listen 
To King Odisshus tell about the giants. 

EURYCLEIA 
So they are here too talking about giants. 

(She moves threateningly toward the group of 

CHILDREN.) 
(There is a cry that TELEMACHUS is coming. 
EURYCLEIA and the CHILDREN hurry out, fol- 
lowed by DOLIUS.) 

PENELOPE 
You must not, Odysseus, set their minds on fire 
By telling them stories of your wanderings. 

11 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

Those days are over — happily. Many a night 
I have lain awake until the crimson dawn 
Thinking of you before you sailed to Troy, 
And wondering then upon what restless sea 
You held your wandering way, or in what land 
The cruel gods held you, unmindful of your home. 
(TELEMACHUS comes in.) 

TELEMACHUS 
Father, they say a ship is being launched 
By your command — 

ODYSSEUS 

A ship ? 

TELEMACHUS 

With oars and sail, 
Made ready in the Harbor of the Fishermen. 

PENELOPE 
A ship, Odysseus ! 

ODYSSEUS 

Why, Telemachus, 
Who told you this ! Why should I want a ship ? 
I only want to sit here in the sun 
And rest me from my many wanderings. 

PENELOPE 
A ship ! I feared this. Oh, Telemachus, 

Your father is mad for the gray, foaming sea 

TELEMACHUS 
They say you gave command to launch this ship — 

ODYSSEUS 
Why, now, I recollect, it seems I did 
Give orders for this ship ; but I'd forgotten. 

PENELOPE 
Stop him, Telemachus ; he means to go 

12 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

Away from me, away from Ithaca, 

A weak old man, to wander through the world. 

ODYSSEUS 

So it is now as I have always known : 

Women are prone to words and not to thought. 

Telemachus, as you and all men know, 

Elis is famed for cattle. I would send 

To barter with the people of that land 

And bring some of these famous cattle home. 

TELEMACHUS 
Prudently planned. — But whom have you com- 
manded 
To sail this ship to Elis, King Odysseus? 

ODYSSEUS 
Whatever man it pleases you to choose. 

TELEMACHUS 
But why did you say nothing of this ship ? 

ODYSSEUS 
You are burdened already with too many cares. 

TELEMACHUS 
But I am strong enough to bear them all. 
When do you purpose to send forth this ship? 

ODYSSEUS 
Just at the crimson of to-morrow's dawn. 

TELEMACHUS 
To-night then, after the day's work is done, 
I shall go throughout the city summoning those 
Whom I consider fittest for the task 
And bid them gather at daybreak on the beach. 

PENELOPE 
And now, Odysseus, you must go within 
And take your mid-day slee^. Your couch is 
ready. 

13 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

ODYSSEUS 
Penelope, you think I am a child. 

PENELOPE 
I bade you go — into your room and rest. 
Men who are old cannot endure fatigue. 

ODYSSEUS 
Why you yourself are almos'- as old as I, 

Penelope 

PENELOPE 
Come! 

ODYSSEUS 

Well, if I must I must. 
(PENELOPE leads Odysseus to the door of the 
Palace and pushes him within. She then turns to 
TELEMACHUS.) 

PENELOPE 
He grows more headstrong, I think, day by day. 
Telemachus, do you suppose he means 
To set forth once again about the world? 

TELEMACHUS 
No, Mother, he said he means to send this ship 
Only to Elis to bring back fat cattle. 

PENELOPE 
Yes, so he said ; but he is the wiliest man 
That ever ruled over a Grecian land. 

TELEMACHUS 
But now he is old; his cunning all is gone. 
He cannot trick me, Mother; do not fear. 

PENELOPE 
You are my son, and more than other men ; 
But you are not as King Odysseus was, 
The heart and mind that overthrew proud Troy. 

14 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

TELEMACHUS 
But that was long ago. His only thought 
Is now of these marvelous stories that he tells 
To all the wide-eyed boys of Ithaca, 
Of marvels that never happened on this earth, 
Of wonders that no man has ever seen, 
Of Scylla and Charybdis, Polyphemus, 
The Sirens and Circe, and the Land of Sleep. 

PENELOPE 
His stories year by year grow stranger still. 

TELEMACHUS 
Now, Mother, you must go and take your rest 

As King Odysseus is You, too, are old. 

PENEI OPE 
I old, indeed ! And take a noonday sleep ! 
Why I must watch the maidens in my chamber 
Or they will idle away thest daylight hours ; 
And we shall get no weaving done at all. 

(PENELOPE and TELEMACHUS go into the 

Palace.) 
(Immediately from all sides little heads appear, 
peeking out from the places where they have been 
hiding and listening; and then cautiously the 
CHILDREN enter, with them little ELPENOR.) 
A GIRL 
Oh, King Odysseus' stories are not true! 

A BOY 
Of course they're true ; I don't care what they 
say. 

ANOTHER GIRL 

You know, I wouldn't trust Telemachus 

ANOTHER BOY 
Why, all these stories that he tells are true. 
Of course they're true. I know they're true. 

15 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

(ODYSSEUS cautiously emerges from the Palace. 
The CHILDREN run to him and gather about 
him.) 

CHILDREN 
Oh, King Odysseus, we are back again! 
The ship ! The ship ! Tell us about the ship ! 

ODYSSEUS 
Be quiet. Be quiet. Lower your voices, Children. 
Telemachus has heard about the ship. 
He thinks Til not set sail until to-morrow — 
Indeed, he thinks I am not going at all, 
But only sending out the ship to Elis 
To bring fat cattle back to Ithaca. 

A BOY 

And aren't you going at all ? 

ANOTHER BOY 

You said you would* 
CHILDREN 

And take us with you to the Phaecian land 

And beg a magical Phaecian ship 

To carry us about the wonderful world. 

ODYSSEUS 
No, listen, I did not say we were not going. 
When Dolius comes to tell us all is ready 
We'll go down to the ship and sail away. 

CHILDREN 
And so you'll take us with you? Me? And Me? 

(Repeated confusedly.) 

ODYSSEUS 

As many of you as the ship will hold 

Such boys of you as are old and strong enough 
To help me with the sail and with the oars. 

16 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

A GIRL 
Just boys ? 

ANOTHER GIRL 

Oh, King Odysseus 



A THIRD GIRL 

Not take me! 
A BOY 

Girls should remain at home and weave and cook. 

A GIRL 
I'd be more use than you upon the sea. 
No girl could be as lazy as you are. 
Girls should remain at home and weave and cook ! ! 

ODYSSEUS 
On shipboard we can have no one who cannot 
Wield the long oar or spread the straining sail. 

A GIRL 
Oh, King Odysseus 

ANOTHER GIRL 

Must we stay at home? 

ODYSSEUS 
You would only be a burden on the ship. 

A GIRL 
If you go off and leave me I will tell 
Telemachus and Queen Penelope. 

ODYSSEUS 

No, no, do not do that. My daughter, listen, 
I cannot take one girl and not take all. 
And if I took you all there'd not be room 
Within our little ship. And there are dangers 
Upon the sea, black nights of storm and cloud, 

17 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

Long days of calm while from a brazen sky 
The Archer of Heaven pours his darts of fire 
Until the pitch comes oozing from the seams 
Of our hot deck. 

A GIRL 

Well, if we must we must. 
A BOY 
We will bring you gifts — strange fruits — and 

stranger gems — 
From lands that smoulder underneath the sun. 

A GIRL 
Then we will stand upon the shining beach 
And wave farewells to you until your ship 
Reaches the meeting-place of sky and water. 

ODYSSEUS 
Before we set sail on the gray, foaming sea 
We must have provision for our voyaging, 
Oars, sails, and stores of food, and dry, warm 

clothing, 
And water in huge jars, fresh, wholesome water, 
For sea water is full of loathsome salt. 
Now we will separate and go throughout 
The city, with swiftness and with secrecy, 
Making all ready, each one to his task. 
Now which of you will make this voyage with me ? 
(All the boys, including little ELPENOR, step for- 
ward, crying "I." ODYSSEUS notices little 
ELPENOR.) 

ODYSSEUS 
What boy is this ? Do you too mean to go ? 

A BOY 

Oh, he's my brother. Let him stay at home. 

18 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

ELPENOR 
No ! No ! I want to go ! 

A BOY 
(Shaking ELPENOR.) 

You cannot go. 
ODYSSEUS 
No, he is much too small. We cannot take him. 
The shadows lengthen. We have much to do. 
Come. As we go along I'll tell each of you 
Just what he is to get. 
(They start to go out.) 

ELPENOR 

(Shouting angrily.) 

I want to go! 

(ELPENOR tries to follow them. His brother drives 
him back. All go out except ELPENOR.) 

(Little ELPENOR, left alone, hides his face with 
his arm and howls dismally. After a few mo- 
ments, during which ELEANOR'S howls grow 
louder and louder, his mother EURYCLEIA, 
enters. She runs to him and seizes him by the 
arm. He pays no attention to her, but continues 
his wailing.) 

EURYCLEIA 
Oh, little Elpenor — Mother's dearest child — 
Oh, has he fallen down and hurt himself? 

(ELPENOR continues his howling, now a dismal 
monotone, and does not answer.) 

EURYCLEIA 
Has some dog bitten him ? Or has some wicked 

boy 
Thrown stones at him, or punched his precious 
head? 
(ELPENOR continues his howling and does not 
answer.) 

19 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

EURYCLEIA 

Elpenor, what's the trouble? Speak to me! 

(She shakes him vigorously. He stops howling.) 

ELPENOR 
They've gone away and left me here alone. 
(He begins to cry again.) 

EURYCLEIA 
Who's gone away and left you? 

ELPENOR 

(Howling.) 

They! They! They! 
(He begins to cry again. EURYCLEIA shakes him.) 

EURYCLEIA 
Answer me now! Elpenor! Who are "they"? 

ELPENOR 
Brother and Sister and old King Odysseus. 

EURYCLEIA 

(Shaking him again.) 
Your brother and your sister, where are they? 

ELPENOR 
They wouldn't take me with them!! 

EURYCLEIA 

Where? Where? Where? 
(ELPENOR howls dolefully and does not answer.) 

EURYCLEIA 
Answer me! Speak! 

(She shakes him again.) 

ELPENOR 
They are going to see the giants. 
EURYCLEIA 
May the kindly gods protect us all from harm ! 

20 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

ELPENOR 
They said I was too young and much too small 
To go with them. I'm not ! I'm not ! ! I'm not ! ! ! 

EURYCLEIA 
Tell me, where have they gone? 

ELPENOR 

To see the whirlpool, 
And the woman who changes men to squealing 
pigs. 

EURYCLEIA 
My children changed to squealing pigs ! OH ! OH ! ! 

ELPENOR 
Oh, yes, they're getting ready a big ship, 
Down in the Harbor of the Fishermen. 

EURYCLEIA 
(Calling frantically.) 
Queen Penelope! King Telemachus! 

(She clasps ELPENOR in her arms and wails aloud. 

ELPENOR begins to howl again.) 
(PENELOPE and TELEMACHUS enter in haste, fol- 
lowed by a crowd of Attendants and parents of 
the children.) 

TELEMACHUS 
Speak ! Who appeals to King Telemachus ? 

PENELOPE 

What sound of wailing strikes upon my ear? 

EURYCLEIA 
Alas! Alas! My children, oh, my children! 

TELEMACHUS 
Speak, have they perished by the unsparing 
sword ? 

21 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

EURYCLEIA 
No. They have taken ship and sailed away. 

ELPENOR 

And wouldn't take me with them. And they're 

gone 
To see the one-eyed Cyclops in his cave. 

EURYCLEIA 
And they'll be changed to pigs, to squealing pigs ! 

PENELOPE 
Telemachus, I warned you. He has gone 
To sea again. I told you he deceived you. 
He is the wiliest of Achaian men. 

TELEMACHUS 

The ship that sails to Elis with the dawn 

PENELOPE 
He has deceived you. Hasten to the shore. 
Perhaps it is not yet too late to stop them. 

TELEMACHUS 
With winged feet I hasten to the harbor. 

ELPENOR 
They have not gone down to the harbor yet. 

TELEMACHUS 
Then quickly tell us, child, where are they now? 

EURYCLEIA 
(Shaking ELPENOR.) 
The King Telemachus is speaking to you. 

ELPENOR 
They've gone about the town to get supplies ; 
And they'll meet here before they go to sea. 

TELEMACHUS 
Then we shall catch them. Mother, keep watch 
here, 

22 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

While I go to the port to station guards 
To see that no man sets sail in the ship. 

(TELEMACHUS goes out. PENELOPE goes into 
the Palace. The Crowd disperses. EURYCLEIA 
takes little ELPENOR by the arm and, shaking 
him and pulling him, leads him off.) 



END OF ACT ONE 




23 




ACT II 

Scene: — Same as preceding act, about two hours 
later. In the middle of the act the sun begins 
ta redden; at the end it begins to grow dark. 
(TELEMACHUS enters. He is warm and tired. He 

sits down and fans himself.) 
(PENELOPE enters from the Palace.) 

PENELOPE 
You have returned, Telemachus! What news 
Do you bring with you? Did you meet Odysseus? 

TELEMACHUS 
I found him nowhere. But I stationed guards 
About the ship. 

PENELOPE 

But little good in that 
If King Odysseus bade them disobey you. 

TELEMACHUS 
Have they returned, my father and the children? 

PENELOPE 
I've watched and waited ; but they have not come. 
Telemachus, now I begin to fear 
He has outwitted us. 

TELEMACHUS 

You do not think 
He would entice the guards to leavei the ship. 

24 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

PENELOPE 
Telemachus, he was the wiliest man 
Of all that host that sailed to war on Troy. 
And there were many who for craftiness, 
Wisdom, and skill, and learning were renowned 
Above all other men who ever lived. 

TELEMACHUS 
What had I better do ? — They're coming ! Listen ! 

PENELOPE 
Yes, here Odysseus comes. Telemachus, 
Hide here and unseen listen to their plans. 

(PENELOPE goes into the Palace. TELEMACHUS 

hides.) 
(ODYSSEUS enters. The CHILDREN follow him, 
quietly and cautiously. They are in a state of 
great excitement.) 

ODYSSEUS 
My comrades, are we ready for the sea? 

CHILDREN 
Yes. We are ready. Yes. I have an oar. 
I have a fish net. I have sweetened cakes. 

ODYSSEUS 
Conceal them quickly. Hide them. Anywhere. 
Lest someone come upon us suddenly. 

(The CHILDREN conceal the various things they 
have brought, in their garments or underneath 
the bench.) 

ODYSSEUS 
The afternoon is waning. We must be 
Well out to sea before the night comes down, 
Lest in the darkness we run upon the shore. 

A BOY 
Come, King Odysseus, come. The dark blue waves 
Are fretting and dancing, oh so restlessly, 
To bear us out to the Phaecian land. 

25 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

ODYSSEUS 
We must wait here until old Dolius comes. 
ANOTHER BOY 
(Dancing with excitement.) 
The Sirens! Will we hear the Sirens sing? 
(The sky begins to redden with sunset.) 

A THIRD BOY 
And can we go to Agamemnon's land 
And see the ruler of the hosts of Greece ? 

ODYSSEUS 
Alas, alas, I am the only one 
That lives of all the leaders of the Greeks. 
(Several of the GIRLS enter.) 
A GIRL 
We have come to say good-bye and wish you 
fortune. 

ANOTHER GIRL 
We shall stand watching you upon the beach 
Until your ship's wide sails are small as wings 
Of sea gulls wheeling to the rim of the sea. 

A BOY 

What will our parents say when we have gone ? 

ANOTHER BOY 
Oh, they'll not care, if we're with King Odysseus. 

A BOY 

You didn't tell them, did you, you were going? 

ANOTHER BOY 
Oh, no, I did not. I thought the surer way 
Would be to send them word when we had gone. 

A GIRL 
When we have watched your ship well out to sea 
Then we will go to all your homes and tell them 
That you have gone away with King Odysseus. 

26 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

ODYSSEUS 
Be careful to say nothing till we go. 
I would not have Telemachus find it out. 
He and his mother think I am so old 
That I'm a child again. But I will show him 
That I am clever enough yet to outwit him, 
And that my arm is not too weak with age 
To guide a dark-prowed ship across the sea. 

(DOLIUS enters. As they turn to greet him TELE- 
MACHUS, unnoticed, slips from his hiding place 
and enters the PALACE.) 

DOLIUS 
All things are ready ; and the ship awaits ; 
And a strong breeze is blowing out to sea. 
A fine thing surely it will be once more 
To feel beneath my feet the bounding keel, 
And taste the salt spray dashed upon my face. 

ODYSSEUS 
Dolius, I do not think one old as you 
Is fit to stand the rigors of the sea. 

DOLIUS 

You are not going to leave me here at home? ! ! 

ODYSSEUS 
An aged man should be content at home. 

DOLIUS 
You call me aged ! Why, how old are you ? 

ODYSSEUS 
You were an old man when I was a boy. 

DOLIUS 
I intend to take this journey with you. 
You would not take me when you went to Troy. 
And I have scarcely stirred from Ithaca 
My whole life long. And if I do not make 

27 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

This journey with you now Telemachus 
And Queen Penelope shall know your plan. 

ODYSSEUS 

No, no 

A BOY 
Oh, King Odysseus, let him go 
ANOTHER BOY 



Night conies on fast 



A THIRD BOY 

Let us hasten to the beach. 
ODYSSEUS 
Come, Dolius, then, go with us. But keep silent. 

DOLIUS 
So now to see new peoples and new lands ! 

A BOY 
I have a sword. I'm going to kill the giant*. 

ODYSSEUS 
Now to the shore to board our dark-prowed ship! 

GIRLS 
Farewell! Farewell! Poseidon prosper you! 

ODYSSEUS 
Once more Odysseus the Wide- Wanderer ! 

(They move off with shouts, but stop when sud- 
denly confronted by TELEMACHUS who come* 
out of the Palace.) 

TELEMACHUS 
(In a matter of fact way, as if he had noticed noth- 
ing of what is going on.) 
Father Odysseus, the chill of evening strikes 
The darkening earth. And now the time for sleep 
Creeps fast upon us. 

(PENELOPE and EURYCLEIA enter from the 
Palace. PENELOPE carries a cloak. A crowd of 
Ithacans, including the parents of the various 
children, enter on the other side. The Parent* 
single out their respective Children and either 
seize them or attempt to seize them.) 

28 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

PENELOPE 

I have brought your cloak, 
Odysseus, and have sought the city for you. 

ODYSSEUS 
(Somewhat embarrassed, taking the cloak.) 
There is a little chilliness in the air. 

TELEMACHUS 

I have sent down the men to man the ship 
That sails for Elis at to-morrow's dawn. 

ODYSSEUS 
Telemachus, I v/ill not deceive you longer. 
That ship I had made ready for myself, 
To bear me out again into the world, 
To bring me to the wonders of the earth — 

A BOY 
Yes, and to find the oxen of the sun — 

ANOTHER BOY 
Perhaps to seek the far Hesperides — 

A THIRD BOY 
And then to sail and sail into the west, 
There where the wine-dark streams of Ocean curl 
About the world, and find the sleeping sun. 

TELEMACHUS 
See with what folly you have filled their heads, 
Father Odysseus. Now, enough of this ! 
You parents take these children to their homes. 
And, Father, you — the time for sleep has come — 
Old age cannot endure too long a day. 

ODYSSEUS 
Hearken, Telemachus, Dolius and I, 
And these brave boys intend to sail the sea. 
We are not needed in the workaday world 

29 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

My days of battle and of work are over; 
The boys' have not begun. There's time enough 
In life to shut out dreaming. Let us have 
The few short days that there are left to us 
Before my silent foot-steps brush the wan 
And sunless asphodel meadows of the dead, 
Before these boys feel manhood come upon them, 
And the hard facts of living dull their souls 
To all the glory and wonder of the world. 

(His voice grows stronger and his bearing more 
commanding.) 
I am the King Odysseus. I was one 
Of Jhose famed warriors that humbled Troy — 
Achilles, Agamemnon, were my friends — 
I am the King Odysseus ! Back ! — Stand back ! 
Who dares to interfere with my royal will?! 
Telemachus, I am your king and father — 
Penelope, the husband rules the wife — 
And you of Ithaca, I am your king — 
I say that I take ship, and these boys with me. 
(TELEMACHUS, PENELOPE, and the rest of the 
older people draw back submissively. The BOYS 
surround ODYSSEUS and DOL1US.) 
A BOY 
Oh, King Odysseus ! Out into the West ! 

ODYSSEUS 
Once more — once more — Be favorable, O gods! 

(To one of the BOYS.) 
Give to my hand that oar that steers our ship. 
(The BOY hands him a large oar.) 

ODYSSEUS 
(Taking the oar.) 
They make them heavier than in my young days. 
(The oar is too heavy for him to handle. He lets it 
fall and stands silent as he realizes for the first 
time that he reallv is old and weak.) 

30 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

ODYSSEUS 
Oh — fool — oh, fool — Old man, you once were 

wisest 
Of all the crafty Greeks. Odysseus, you 
Are old now, old, too old to bend an oar; 

You cannot sail a ship across the sea 

The night wind breathes upon me. It is chill 

chill 

Give me my cloak and let me seek my couch 
Near to the glowing embers on the hearth. 

A BOY 

Then we shall never reach the magic land 

ANOTHER BOY 
The gray waves curling on the Phaecian beach — 

A THIRD BOY 
The Streams of Ocean and the western sea 

ODYSSEUS 
The world grows old and changes. Never man 
Shall see again the things that I have seen. 

PENELOPE 
Odysseus, come; upon the hearth the fire 
Lightens and leaps. And warmth and savory 

steam 
Make cheerful the cold evening. Come, Odysseus. 

ODYSSEUS 

Ithacan people, I that was once your king, 

1 that was once Odysseus, say farewell — 

Only an old man now — a memory 

Only a name that's whispered to the wind — 
And you, O children, think what I have been 
And know in your brave hearts that you may be 
As much or more than I. The morning sun 
Has risen many times on Ithaca ; 

31 



THE LAST VOYAGE OF ODYSSEUS 

And many times will rise as bright again 
When I am treading the quiet hills of Death. 
The gods have given me many and high deeds to 

do; 
And I have many lands and wonders seen 
But worlds I could not reach are yours to reach ; 
Things that I could not do are jnours to do. 

A BOY 

Odysseus, King Odysseus — 

TELEMACHUS 
(Supporting ODYSSEUS.) 

Father, come. 

(ODYSSEUS, PENELOPE, and TELEMACHUS go 
into the Palace. The rest stand in the waning 
daylight watching them in silence, some with 
hands stretched out as in supplication. The scene 
grows dark.) 

END OF THE PLAY 




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